The objective of this course is to (1) encourage a critical exploration of the concepts of organizational development and change; and (2) to provide exposure to academic and practitioner perspectives on managing organizational development and change. By the end of the course, students should be able to: 1) Describe and explain the major theoretical models underlying organizational development and change; 2) Critically evaluate the major theoretical models underlying organizational development and change; 3) Critically evaluate techniques and methodologies used to diagnose, implement, and evaluate organizational change; 4) Apply techniques and methodologies used to diagnose, implement, and evaluate organizational change.

Omschrijving

This course will provide an introduction to organizational development and change. As such, it builds on insights from applied behavioral science, such as organizational and social psychology as well as sociology and management science. In the 21st century, organizations are in a continuous state of change in their quest to achieve competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Given the magnitude of this change and its potential rippling effects, it is important for organizational psychologists to have a basic understanding of the theories, models, processes and methods related to organizational change. In this course, we will focus on the theories, models and processes specifically related to diagnosing, implementing and evaluating organizational change. Throughout the course, students will be exposed to a number of academic and practitioner perspectives on organizational change and will critically reflect on the pros and cons of various theories and approaches stemming from these perspectives. In essence, we will use theory and practical cases to understand how successful change efforts can be brought about at the individual, team and organizational level of analysis.